Editor's Letter: January 2021

I've just turned 30. I don't mean to sound overly dramatic, but I am so excited about what would going to happen in my 30s. This year, I will be graduating from the Fordham law school and hopefully start my career as a lawyer. I'm not entirely sure whether I would stay in the United States or return to South Korea, but one thing is certain. I will never lose sight of why I decided to study law in the first place. I came to New York because it is where creative minds rejoin their forces to bring out the best of human beings. Since 20, I've been the grateful recipient of a whole array of artistic works Manhattan has proudly showcased over the last decade. So it's my time to give back. As most of you already know, I am largely interested in copyright and trademark issues in fashion, and, extendedly art. Some people whom I met for the first time seemed puzzled when I introduced myself as a law school student intent on practicing "fashion law". Yes, it's a field that's neither nascent nor matured. It's trapped in an intellectual "purgatory", metaphorically speaking. There are amazing scholars and practitioners out there who gave birth to this developing area of law. My hope is to carry that torch forward. Most importantly, however, I want to be "in service of" others, which is the motto of the Fordham law school. This blog would not have grown to what it is now today had there not been the tremendous support of industry professionals who graciously lent their helping hands. So, I wish I can spend my 30s in service of solving persistent issues in fashion.

However, my life can't and shouldn't always revolve around my career. My personal life means a lot me as well. What I do in my free time (some of you following my Instagram know too well that I'm a huge fan of K-pop!) also shapes who I am. Relationships matter, too. Last year, I was so so thrilled to see my dear friends making their dreams come true after years of hard work. I know how difficult it is to hold your dream tight, but they did it. I respect my friends from the deepest bottom of my heart just for who they are: warm-hearted human beings in search of their life's calling. Even when we are apart, we are together. This year, I will slow down things a little bit. My grandmother, who passed away last year, used to tell me that I should act humbly when I feel like I'm just a few miles away from the finish line. She raised me, so she knows me better than I do. I will do upload on a regular basis, but I can't write one post per day, like I did in December. In addition, I will come up with new ways of running this blog to better communicate with my readers. On that note, happy new year to you and your loved ones!